The Ballett Theater Basel is a leading contemporary dance company in Europe known for its virtuosity in both classical ballet and contemporary dance. Under the direction of Richard Wherlock, the ensemble works with many renowned choreographers and has mastered diverse dance styles. Wherlock has been the director of Ballett Theater Basel since 2001 and has established the company as one of the top ballet companies internationally through his ambitious vision and productions.

1. 2018 / 2019
DIRECTOR:
RICHARD WHERLOCK

2. 2
THE BALLETT
THEATER
BASEL

3. The Ballett Theater Basel is a dynamic, ­poly­-
valent and multicultural ensemble in the
internatio­nal class, one of the leading contem-
porary dance groups in Europe. The members
of the Ballett Theater Basel have thoroughly
mastered the vocabulary of both classical
­ballet and contemporary dance, combining the
highest standards of dance with virtuoso
­dynamism and inspired ­expressiveness. The
Basel ensemble has an ­outstanding command
of both narrative and abstract ballet.There are
plenty of contemporary Choreographers wor-
king with the ­Ballett in Basel – Jiri Kylian,
Nacho Duato, Ohad Naharin, Alexander Ek-
man, Johan ­Inger, Hofesh Shechter – to name
only a few of them, and of course the outstan-
ding choreo­graphic Œvre of the Director of the
Ballett Theater Basel, Richard Wherlock.

4. OUR PRODUCTIONS
2018 / 2019
DON’T TELL THE KIDS
Choreography by Richard Wherlock
Music: The Velvet Underground
Premiere September 20, 2018
→ available for touring
PEER GYNT
Choreography by Johan Inger
Music: Edvard Grieg,
Pjotr I. Tschaikowsky,
Georges Bizet
October 20, 2018
CARMEN
Choreography by Johan Inger
Music: Rodion Shchedrin,
Georges Bizet,
Marc Álvarez
Premiere November 15, 2018
→ available for touring
TEWJE
Choreography by Richard Wherlock
Music: Olivier Truan
November 28, 2018
→ available for touring
THOMAS NOONE /
JIŘÍ POKORNÝ
Choreographies by Thomas Noone FURTHER
and Jiří Pokorný DAY «WITHOUT» NIGHT
Premiere Februar 14, 2019
→ available for touring
THE COMEDY
OF ERROR(Z)Choreography by Richard Wherlock
Music: Antony Genn
Premiere Mai 3, 2019
→ available for touring

7. OUR TOURING DATES
2018/2019
FESTSPIELE LUDWIGSHAFEN,
GERMANY_DECEMBER 1+2, 2018
CARMEN
by Johan Inger
THEATRE LA COUPOLE,
SAINT-LOUIS, FRANCE_FEBRUARY 26, 2019
THOMAS NOONE / JIŘÍ POKORNÝ
FURTHER
by Thomas Noone
DAY «WITHOUT» NIGHT
by Jiří Pokorný
MAISON DE LA DANSE,
LYON, FRANCE_MARCH 12 – 17, 2019
PEER GYNT
by Johan Inger
FESTIVAL QUINZAINE DE LA DANSE DE L’ESPACE 110,
LA FILATURE, MULHOUSE, FRANCE_ MARCH 19+20, 2019
THIS IS EVERYTHING
by Bryan Arias
SPRING FESTIVAL, ERKEL THEATER BUDAPEST,
HUNGARY_ APRIL 10, 2019
TEWJE
by Richard Wherlock
THÉÂTRE GARE DU MIDI, BIARRITZ, FRANCE _ MAY 21, 2019
TEATRO DE L’ARRIAGA, BILBAO, SPAIN_ MAY 24+25, 2019
SHECHTER /ARIAS / POKORNÝ
THE FOOLS
by Hofesh Shechter
THIS IS EVERYTHING
by Bryan Arias
DAY «WITHOUT» NIGHT
by Jiří Pokorný
THEATER BASEL ON TOUR IS SUPPORTED BY:

8. RICHARD WHERLOCKChoreographer and Director
of the Ballett Theater Basel

9. BIOGRAPHY
Born in Bristol (GB). After studying at London’s prestigious Ballet Rambert School,
he joined their company as a dancer. Wherlock was Ballet Director at Hagen
Theatre in Germany from 1991 to 1996, then spending three seasons as director of
the Lucerne Ballet before moving to Komische Oper Berlin as artistic director and
choreographer of BerlinBallett. He has been director and head choreographer of
Ballett Basel since the 2001 / 2002 season, and artistic director of the renowned
festival «basel tanzt» from 2004 to 2009. Richard Wherlock has been Director and
Head Choreographer of Ballett Basel since 2001 / 2002 and has created many
choreographies for the company. He has enjoyed particular success with his
adaptations of great classics such as «A Swan Lake», «James or La Sylphide»,
«Traviata – a Ballet», «Carmen», «Giselle», or «Eugene Onegin» and other full-
length narrative ballets which he has reinterpreted using contem­porary dance
techniques. He worked as choreographer with, among others, the following
companies: New English Contemporary Ballet, Tanzforum Köln, Scapino Ballet
Rotterdam, Finnish Dance Theatre Helsinki, Ballett Staatstheater Braunschweig,
Romanian National Ballet, The Icelandic Ballet, Ballet National de Nancy et de
Lorraine, Ballet National de Marseille, Ballet de l’Opéra de Nice, aalto ballett
theater essen, Europa Danse (UNESCO), Ballett der Deutschen Oper am Rhein
Düsseldorf, Singapore Dance Theatre, Ballett der Vereinigten Bühnen Graz,
Introdans in Arnheim / Holland, Ballett des Badischen Staatstheaters Karlsruhe,
Phoenix Dance Theatre Leeds and Ballet Contemporaneo del Teatro San
Martín / Argentina. Wherlock also created a full-length ballet for Les Étoiles de
l’Opéra National de Paris, for the Ballet of the Opéra National de Bordeaux and
for the Seoul Ballet Theatre. His film and TV work includes the choreography for
Claude Lelouch’s cinema production «Hasards ou Coïncidences», presented in
1998 at the Venice Biennale and at the Montréal and Chicago festivals. In 2000,
Wherlock received the Prix Italia for the award-winning dance film
«Passengers», produced by the Swiss broadcasting company DRS,
RM Associates and 3SAT. His most recent film success «One
bullet left» – also produced by Swiss broadcasting
company DRS – was awarded the Golden Rose of
Montreux in 2003. In 1999 he was nominated for
the international dance award «Benois de la
Danse». Richard Wherlock’s particular
interest lies in supporting talented up-
and-coming dancers. He serves on the
juries of numerous international
dance competitions and president
of the Migros scholarship jury.
«Our art is … holding on and letting go, ­precision and
disorganization. Dizzyingly fast, achingly slow, and
everything in between. Back up, forth and down.
Immeasurable. … I just love it.»
Richard Wherlock

10. RUBEN DARIO BANOL HERRERA
Colombia
Training: Incolballet (Colombia), Real Consérvatorio ­
Profesional de Danza de Madrid
Previous companies: Compañía colombiana de ballet,
Europadanse, Compañía Nacional de Danza 2, Ballet de
la ­Generalitat Valenciana, Elephant in the Black Box
DIEGO
BENITO
GUTIERREZ
Spain
Training: Real Conser­
vatorio Profesional de
Danza de ­Madrid
Previous companies:
ballett du Grand ­Theatre
de Geneve, Nafas Dance
Company, Introdans
GIACOMO ALTOVINO
Italy
Training: Hamburg Ballet School (Germany),
“Dietro le quinte” (Italy)
Previous companies: NRW Juniorballett
­Dortmund, Ballett Dortmund
ENSEMBLE

11. ARMANDO
BRASWELL
USA
Training: La Guardia
Highschool of Performing
Arts, School of American
Ballet, The Ailey School,
The Juilliard School
Previous companies:
The Metropolitan Opera Ballet,
Ballett Theater München,
Gauthier Dance Stuttgart
LISA HORTEN-SKILBREI*
Norway
Training: Oslo National Academy of The Arts (KHiO),
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago,
Scholarships at Batsheva Dance Company and
Nederlands Dans Theater
PIRAN SCOTT
Australia
Training: Theatre Arts Mackay, Queensland Ballet
Professional Year (Australia)
Previous company: Queensland Ballet,
Leipziger Ballett

12. SERGIO
BUSTINDUY
Spain
Training: Instituto del Teatro Barcelona,
Balletschool Nacional de Cuba
Previous companies: Ballet Nacional de Cuba,
Zürcher Ballett, Tanz-Forum Köln, Euregio
Tanz-Forum, Staatstheater Saarbrücken,
BerlinBallett/Komische Oper, Hannover Ballett
ALBA
CARBONELL
CASTILLO
Spain
Training: Conservatorio
Profesional de Danzade
Riba-Roja del Turia
Valencia
Previous companies:
Centro coreografico de
Valencia, Compagñía
National de Danza 2
LUNA BUSTINDUY
MERTENS
France
Training: Ecole National Supérieure de
Danse Marseille, Rudra Béjart Lausanne,
Hamburg Ballet School.
Previous companies: Company Igokat,
Nederlands Dans Theater 2

13. LYDIA CARUSO
Italy
Training: Rosella Hightower,
Cannes
Previous companies: Compania
de Danza La Mov, Ballet du
Grand Théatre de Genève,
Rudra Béjart LausanneISMAEL
DEL VALLE*
Spain
Training: Real Conservatorio
Profesional de Danza de Madrid,
Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin
Previous company:
Larreal Madrid
MIRKO CAMPIGOTTO
Italy
Training: Achillea in Rivarolo C.se., Kaos
Balletto di Firenze, Codarts Rotterdam
Previous companies: Kaos Balletto
di Firenze, Introdans, Saalandisches
Staastheater Saarbrücken

14. JULIAN JUAREZ
CASTAN
Spain
Training: Coppelia Dance School,
Instituto superior de danza Alicia
Alonso
Previous companies: Ballet de
Zaragoza, Ballet de Teatres de la
Generalitat, Les Grand Ballets du
Montreal, Scottish Dance Theater
DEBORA MAIQUES MARIN
Spain
Training: Elise Lummis-School
Previous companies: Compañía Nacional de Danza
España 2, Ballet Carmen Roche, Centro Coreografico
de Valencia
JORGE GARCÍA PÉREZ
Spain
Training: Escuela de danza Maria de Avila,
Zaragoza, Spain
Previous companies: Biarritz Ballet II,
SYBAA Ballet, Zürcher Ballett

15. ANNABELLE PEINTRE
France
Training: Conservatoire de Danse d’Avignon
Previous companies: Compania Nacional
de Danza II, Ballet Basel, Opéra de Lyon
FLORENT MOLLET
France
Training: Ecole de l’Opéra national
de Paris, Ecole Atelier Rudra Béjart
(Lausanne)
Previous companies: Opéra de Nice,
Ballet d’Europe, Ballet Biarritz
PAIGE BOROWSKI
USA
Training: The Juilliard School

16. FRANK FANNAR
PEDERSEN
Iceland
Training: Iceland ­Ballett School ­
Reykjavik, ­Ballett­schule der
­Finnischen ­Nationaloper
(Helsinki)
Previous companies:
Iceland Dance Company,
IT Dansa Barcelona, Ballett des
Staatstheaters Wiesbaden
ANTHONY
RAMIANDRISOA
France
Training: Conservatoire
de Lyon
Previous company:
Junior Ballet Lyon
MAX OSSENBERG-ENGELS*
Germany
Training: Ballett-Akademie Hochschule
für Musik und Theater München
Previous companies: Nürnberg Ballett

17. TANA ROSÁS SUNÉ
Spain
Training: Instituto del Teatro
Barcelona, Koninklijk
Conservatorium (Den Haag)
Previous company:
IT Dansa Barcelona
JAVIER
RODRIGUEZ
COBOS
Spain
Training: Real Conservatorio
­Nacional de Danza de Madrid
Previous companies: Europa
­Danse, Ballet des jeunes ­d’Europe,
Compañía National de Danza 2,
Ballet de l’Opéra National du Rhin,
Introdans
RAQUEL REY
RAMOS
Spain
Training: Real Conservatorio
Profesional de Danza Madrid,
Carmina Ocaña-Schule
Previous companies: Compañía
Nacional de Danza España 2,
Balletto di Teatro di Torino,
Centro Coreografico de Valencia

18. DÉVI-AZELIA
SELLY
France
Training: Rosella Hightower
(Cannes), Rudra Béjart
(Lausanne)
Previous companies:
Béjart Ballet, Ballett Basel,
Nederlands Dans Theater 2
GAIA
MENTOGLIO*
Italy
Training: Art Garage Napoli,
Palucca Hochschule für
Tanz Dresden
MARINA SANCHEZ
GARRIGÓS
Spain
Training: Institut del Teatre (Barcelona),
Central School of Ballet (London)
Previous companies: New English
Contemporary Ballet, Nürnberg Ballett

19. MAX
ZACHRISSON
Sweden
Training:
Royal Swedish Ballet School
Previous company:
Ballett Dortmund, Schleswig-
Holsteinisches Landestheater,
Nürnberg Ballett
*
Supported by Rosemarie Stuzzi-Thomi-Stiftung
CLAUDINE
SCHOCH
Switzerland
Training:
Ballettakademie München
­Heinz-Bosl-Stiftung
Previous companies:
Bayerisches Staatsballett Munich,
Semperoper Dresden, Ballett am
Rhein Düsseldorf
ANDREA
TORTOSA
VIDAL
Spain
Training: Estudio de danza
Maria de Avilar; Nederlands
Danse Theater II
Previous company: Ballett
Basel; Aterballetto

20. AYAKO
NAKANO
Japan
Choreographic
assistant
CRISTIANA
SCIABORDI
Italy
Ballet Mistress
TOMMASO
PENNACCHIO
Italy
Physiotherapist
THIBAUT
CHERRADI
France
Ballet Master

22. GUESTCHOREO­
GRAPHERS OF
THE BALLETT
THEATER BASEL
Brian Arias
Rami Beer
Mauro Bigonzetti
Christopher Bruce
Claude Brumachon
Joelle Bouvier
Stijn Celis
Patrick Delcroix
Nacho Duato
Jorma Elo
Alexander Ekman
William Forsythe
Johan Inger
Jirí Kylián
Blanca Li
Hans van Manen
Ohad Naharin
Thomas Noone
Angelin Preljocaj
Jiří Pokorný
Hofesh Shechter
Stephan Thoss
Ed Wubbe

24. REPERTOIRE
OF RICHARD
WHERLOCK
Le sacre du printemps / Sidewinding 2002
Rebus 2003
Prelude à l’après-midi d’un faune 2003
Der Tod und das Mädchen 2004
Nussknacker 2004
James oder la Sylphide 2006
Danses Galantes 2006
Verdi Code 2007
A Swan Lake 2008
Casanova.. was bleibt 2009
Carmen 2010
Le spectre de la Rose / La Valse 2011
Stoned 2012
Eugen Onegin 2013
Snow White 2013
Juditha Triumphans 2014
Tewje 2015
Robin Hood 2016
Tod in Venedig 2018
Don’t Tell The Kids 2018
The Comedy Of Error(Z) 2019

26. RICHARD WHERLOCK –
THE GENTLE INNOVATOR
OF BALLET IN BASEL

27. Richard Wherlock has rewritten the history of Ballet-Company in Basel. Over 15
years of unrelenting hard work, the ambitious and highly productive head of ballet
has assembled a company of the greatest technical skill, which is up there with the
best in the world in both neoclassical dance and contemporary dance techniques
and is frequently compared with famous international companies. For years,
Wherlock has pursued the concept of a blend of small-scale, contemporary
pieces, which are abstract in the broadest sense and play with associative
images, and modern, full-length narrative ballets which tell stories, paint
characters or interpret literary works in dance.
Richard Wherlock could be described as a gentle innovator: building on the
legacy of the classic and modern vocabulary, he choreographs contemporary
dance that is brimming with energy and brings it to the stage in traditional
story-telling form, as full-length narrative ballets. His choreographies are a
mix of effervescent, athletic tension and playful virtuosity and his pas de
deux in particular reveals a highly creative imagination. Today, the
company comprises 30 male and female dancers and is hugely popular
with audiences in Basel. Particularly successful are his adaptations of the
great classics, such as A Swan Lake, Traviata-Ein Ballett, Carmen,
Giselle, Eugen Onegin, his enchanting fairy tale ballet Snow White or
his outstanding Tewje and other full-length narrative ballets, which
Wherlock has reinterpreted in his own, incomparable way.

28. BALLETT THEATER
BASEL ON TOUR
SWITZERLAND
Kurtheater Baden
Theater Casino Zug
Stadttheater Bern «akzepTanz»
Kronenmattsaal Binningen
Bâtiment des forces motrices, Genf
ISRAEL
Opera Tel Aviv
KOREA
National Theatre of Korea
Gwacheon Citizens’ Hall
CHINA
Tian Qiao Theater Beijing
Grand Theater Tianjin
Kaiming Theater Suzhou
Majestic Theater Shanghai
GERMANY
Graf Zeppelin Haus Friedrichshafen
Stadthalle Gütersloh
Theater im Pfalzbau Ludwigshafen
Stadthalle Recklinghausen
FRANCE
«Le Temps d’Aimer la Danse», Biarritz
La Coupole, Saint-Louis

29. ITALY
Teatro Comunale, Modena
SPAIN
Teatro Albeniz, Festival Internacional
«Madrid en Danza», Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao
«Baluarte» Palacio de Congresos, Pamplona
Teatro Principal Antzokia, Vitoria
Teatro Breton de Los Herreros, Logroño
HUNGARY
Thalia Theater, «Budapest Spring Festival»

30. CONTACT
Anne-Catherine Thomas
Administration Ballett Theater Basel
Theater Basel, Postfach, 4010 Basel
a.thomas@theater-basel.ch
www.theater-basel.ch
Tour manager: Stephan Hivert,
stephanehivert@me.com
Partner des BallettTheater Basel
Ballett Theater Basel and Richard Wherlock on VIMEO:
https://vimeo.com/richardwherlockballet
Inside the Ballet Theater Basel:
www.interviewenlair.com/category/inside-ballet-theater-basel
Imprint: Published by: Theater Basel, Postfach, CH-4010 Basel. Director: Andreas Beck, Administrative Director: Danièle Gross,
Ballet Director: Richard Wherlock, Editorial Staff: Bettina Fischer, Photography: Ismael Lorenzo, Werner Tschan, graphic design:
muxpp.de, Status: June 2018
www.baslerballettgilde.org